What is a Rex?

[Hamsters82]

I've heard of this in rabbits & I know what it means in Latin, but what's a rex hamster?

[Die Fledermaus]

This gene produces hamsters with curly or wavy coats. The whiskers are usually curly or at least wavy and can appear quite comical, while the coat is wavy or tightly curled. It can appear in long or shorthaired hamsters but the curls are "tighter" and more obvious in shorthaired animals.

The rex gene, (rx), is recessive, so a rex hamster must inherit it from both parents. Any mating involving two rex hamsters can only produce rex babies, but breeding rex to non rex, or two non rex coated animals, may produce all non rex young or a mixture of rex and non rex babies.

The colour and Markings shall conform to the recognised colour standard, for diluting effect of the rex gene; this is particularly noticeable on the Ticking of agouti varieties, but will also affect other varieties.

The coat shall be soft and dense, and evenly "frizzy".

The whiskers shall be curly.

Notes This coat type may be combined with satin and/or long hair.

[Hamsters82]

Thanks DF. I'm guessing wavy coats mean long-haired right?

[Die Fledermaus]

Not necessarily. You can have long - and straight, or long and wavy.

[Hamsters82]

Oh okay, thank you very much.

[Andrea]

My foster hamster is a rex I was told. I just thought she had a silly hair do